Bafana Bafana coach Broos slams Mailula’s agent for Toronto move

Outspoken Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has slammed Cassius Mailula's agent, alleging the representative prioritised money over the best career interests of the former Mamelodi Sundowns attacker when arranging his move to Toronto FC. 

Mailula, who a few months ago was establishing himself in the national team, looks set to miss out on selection for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in January as he struggles for game time in North America. 

Since his move from Sundowns to the Canadian-based Major League Soccer team in July, Mailula, 22, has made only two league appearances in the club's eight matches played in that period. 

The striker again did not make Broos's 23-man squad for this month's two friendly internationals against Eswatini and Ivory Coast. Asked about Mailula's exclusion and lack of playing time in the US, Broos said he does not have a good agent. 

The player's intermediary is sports lawyer Karabo Mathang-Tshabuse.

“You have a good agent when that agent is looking out for you, but if you have an agent who is always looking at his wallet then you don’t have it [a good agent]. And I am afraid Mailula does not have a good agent,” Broos said. 

“When you let him go to Toronto FC where you know there are two Italian internationals [Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne] and there is also Canadian international Deandre Kerr, [it's not advisable]. 

“You let a young player like that who has 15 games' experience in the PSL [go to that club], that is not the right choice. Mailula is not playing, he will not play and you will see that even in the next months as competition finishes in America.” 

Broos said Mailula’s move to North America came too soon and it was not to the right club. 

“Again you don’t have to blame him for that, you have to blame the agent. You know as an agent, when he goes there it will be difficult and it would have been better that he stayed at Sundowns and played Champions League again to get the experience and maybe make the move in one or two years.” 

The friendlies against Eswatini (at home on October 13) and Ivory Coast (away on October 17) are part of preparations for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers that start next month and Afcon, where Bafana may end up in a tough group as they are in pot three for next week Thursday’s draw. 

“If you are in pot three, you [are likely to] get Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Morocco or Ghana. There is nothing good, but we have to accept that, even though it is amazing for me that Democratic Republic of Congo [who Bafana beat 1-0 in a friendly last month] jumped over us in the rankings. 

“It’s like that, we have to live with it and we have to beat [at least] one big team to go past the group stages. We know what to do and let’s hope we can succeed.” 

Mathang-Tshabuse declined to respond to Broos' comments.